Prime Minister Barzani in his speech applauded the decision of the government of China to open its consulate general in Erbil. He said:

“Opening the consulate general of the People’s Republic of China in the Kurdistan Region is the first step towards building mutually beneficial relations. This will provide a great opportunity for both sides to explore areas of potential cooperation. The opening of this office will help us to benefit from the rich and successful experience of China in all fields.”

Prime Minister Barzani also thanked China for providing humanitarian assistance to the Kurdistan Region and hoped that the opening of this office would result in further humanitarian aid as well as military assistance in the fight against terrorism.

Vice Foreign Minister Ming in his speech thanked the KRG for the assistance provided in the opening of China’s consulate general. He said, “The opening of our consulate general in Erbil expresses our strong support for the political process in Iraq. It is a sign of our strong desire to further deepen and strengthen our bilateral ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in various fields.”

Mr Ming commended the role of the KRG in preserving the stability of the region and voiced the willingness of the Chinese government to contribute to this stability and to provide further humanitarian assistance.

Commenting on the opening ceremony of China’s consulate general in Erbil, Minister Falah Mustafa stated, “This is the beginning of a new chapter in an important, mutually beneficial relationship that will benefit the people and the government of both China and the Kurdistan Region.”

Mr. Banglin, China’s Consul General, said that China is eager to develop its relations with Kurdistan Region and take part in this development, particularly in the infrastructural, economic, commercial and cultural domains.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior KRG officials, China’s ambassador to Iraq, members of the diplomatic community, as well as representative of Chinese companies in the Kurdistan Region.